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One of the greatest gifts you can give your children is the skills to keep themselves and the areas around them tidy and clean. Your kids may not always want to jump in and help you around the house, but when they do help they learn to take pride in their home and value a neat and clean area to live in. They may not clean everything exactly like you would… but that is okay! Start young and allow your kids to learn the essentials of homemaking from an amazing momma like you!
1. Dishes Start with loading plastic cups into the dishwasher and work up to scrubbing pots and pans.
2. Laundry Young children can learn to fold wash clothes and match socks. Big kids can work through the whole process of sorting, starting the washer, and folding clothes. (Don’t forget to put away too!)
3. Make their beds When your bed is made, the whole room looks neater. Start with straitening the blankets and comforter. Eventually, let your kids change their sheets and be proud of a clean and neat bed to sleep in.
4. Vacuum This simple chore can be divided up by room to keep from being overwhelming.
5. Sort toys and other items into correct bins Teach your kids to put things back where they belong. Keep clearly marked containers for items that regularly get used in your home.
6. Clean mirrors and windows Little ones may leave some streaks behind when cleaning windows and mirrors, but the older ones can be challenged to walk away when there are no streaks left!
7. Sweep Sweeping dirt into a dust pan is a great motor skill to master. This increases eye-hand coordination.
8. Set the table Supervise the little ones as they help you set the table for mealtime. Teach the older ones where the forks and knives go and how to fold the napkins. Make dinner time special with a neatly set table.
9. Empty Trash Let the little ones take out the small trashcan trash and send the big kids after the large kitchen trash to take outside.
10. Take care of family pets If you have a pet in your home, include your child in the care of that pet. Everything from making sure they are fed and have water to bathing and brushing, to walking them and picking up after them.
What other chores would you add to this list?
I learned how to do many of these things at an early age and am so better off for it. I am so happy to see that you included taking care of family pets. It is important to learn to value life and living things at an early age.
Our first chore to learn was how to properly feed our dog. Next, we’re working on putting things in the recycle bin for me.
I couldn’t agree more. Our kids have chores and for now they like doing them. Hope that doesn’t change. Another chore we do is have our children clear the table after dinner.
This is a great list of chores. Kids these days think they are entitled and are lazy.
YES! I love this list and I am teaching my boys all of the above!
I think you pretty much covered everything in your list. My daughter is still really young but she will definitely be doing chores when she gets older. We had a set of jobs that we had to do growing up. My husband never had to do his own laundry and that was ridiculous!!
Clean the bathroom! Only then will they know how gross it can be and will do better not making a mess!
Yes, yes, YES! Teaching your kids how to do these everyday household tasks is so important! Even if they seem to forget everything you’ve taught them in their teen years, it will all (hopefully) come back to them when they’re out on their own.
I think the earlier you teach children how to help around the house the better off not only you will be for having the help, but the better of they will be when they grow up! I had a friend who’s 20 sum year old boyfriend never did a load of laundry in his life when they got together o.O
You’re absolutely right! Can you imagine if they went out into the world as young adults and didn’t know this stuff?
My kids are 6 and 4 and they have to make their beds, put their dishes in the sink, put their toys away in their sort bins and also take turns feeding the dog. Chores are important to start at an early age! As I tell my kids all the time, I’m your mom, not your maid!
When I was six, I had to vacuum the whole home, fold, and put away laundry for 6~!! My kids have it easy now.
Great idea! My daughter is five, so she still enjoys helping!
Good list. These are things all kids need to know and learn.
my 4 year old is the dish towel, cloth napkin and dish rag folder in our house. she also helps pair socks and feed our kittens. My 8 year old lets the chickens out of their coop into the play yard each morning and also opens/closes curtains on the bottom floor of our house. my 6 year old scoops the ick from cat litter and feeds the dog.
there’s a lot kids can do and they NEED to learn these things! just like you said!
I think it’s good for children to have some chores, to help teach responsibility.
Both my kids hate doing the dishes. I am not sure why since I love doing the dishes. It is relaxing to me. I love that list. I think you should send this list to my kids
When I was a kid it was my responsibility to keep my room clean and the basement which had our toys. And if we left anything someone where outside of our room. I guess I did help set the table and I did help with loading the dishwasher. But I don’t think I will have my kids vacuum or sweep. They have their whole lives to do that.
It’s very important to teach children to be responsible as early as possible. Teaching them to do house chores will help them become independent and well-trained for the greater challenges in their lives. When I was a kid, my mother would always make it a point that I do some house chores and I’m thankful for the training I receive from her. 🙂
Thank you for this! I was just telling my husband we really need to get on the ball about making the kids do chores.
Kids have to be responsible for some of the daily tasks. It teaches them life skills, and as parents that is sorta what we are supposed to be helping to teach them.
This is great. I grew up doing a lot of chores and it taught me responsibility and time management.
This is a great list! I’m working with my daughter on how to clear the table and sweep properly, in addition to her other chores that she has been working on.
Is it sad that I’m just happy when they go to the bathroom and NOT need me? Great list for training 🙂
my kids are doing all these chores now. I love that they help me so much.
My son is two and likes to load the dishwasher. Or at least he tries to. He thinks he is helping. 🙂
I totally agree. Kids need to start learning how to do all these things!
These are definitely all great ones. My daughter does them all except dishes, laundry and taking out the trash. She is still a little young for those. Now she does help with the laundry and dishes and picking up trash but not actually doing them.
My daughter knows how to do all these chores and she reminds us every week when she wants her allowance. Lol!
It is important for children to learn to do chores when they are young so that keeping the house clean and well maintained becomes part of who they are.
I def agree kids need to learn some basic life skills. Thankfully my son know how to do many of these things already.